Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form mutualistic associations with most land plants. The symbiosis is based on the exchange of nutrients: AMF receive photosynthetically fixed carbon from the plants and deliver mineral nutrients in return. Lipids are important players in the symbiosis. They act as components of the plant-derived membrane surrounding arbuscules, as carbon sources transferred from plants to AMF, as a major form of carbon storage in AMF, and as triggers of developmental responses in AMF. In this review, we describe the role of lipids in AM symbiosis and AMF development.
